Italian striker David Di Michele is eager to force his way back into Gianfranco Zola's plans at West Ham.
Italian striker keen to prove his worth
Italian striker David Di Michele is eager to force his way back into Gianfranco Zola's plans at West Ham.
Di Michele, who arrived at Upton Park in September on a season-long loan deal from Torino, has been linked with a swift return to the Serie A outfit.
With Craig Bellamy the first choice up front for Zola, the former Palermo, Udinese and Reggina man knows he has his work cut out to secure a starting berth.
But Di Michele, who has scored twice in six starts for the club, has no plans to turn his back on the Premier League in January.
He said: "I am at West Ham. I hope to do well, to return to play and to score as many as possible.
"Then it's down to the two clubs to speak about my loan deal.
"My limited playing time is perhaps due to the fact that I have a player like Bellamy, who is not just anybody, ahead of me.
"Or maybe that having started strongly I have also been affected by the team's drop in form in a difficult tournament."
Trust
Di Michele has great admiration for Zola and is happy to play the waiting game.
"Zola is a very respected person, calm and available to everyone," he added. "He always gives me advice.
"It is not easy not to play but I trust him, he knows English football and he helps me."
Di Michele does not believe the reported financial problems which have hit the club and led to several West Ham stars being linked with a move away from Upton Park is affecting the team.
"We don't speak about the crisis at the club and within the team," he said.
"Everything works fine: we get paid on time, everyone gives their best and no-one demands to be transferred.
"We only hear about the crisis in the press but we don't talk about it because here we only think about playing."
